Method and knitting apparatus for producing a pile fabric



J y 1969 w. KOHLER 3,455,123

METHOD AND KNITTING APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A PILE FABRIC Filed April 12, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1 FIG. 2 FIG. 3

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N llllllllllllllllllp INVENTOR WERNER KOH LER July 15, 1969 w. KOHLER 3,455,123

METHOD AND KNITTING APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A FILE FABRIC Filed April 12, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WERNER KOHLER United States Patent O 3,455,123 METHOD AND KNITTING APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A PILE FABRIC Werner Kohler, Apolda, Germany, assignor to VEB Textilmaschinenbau, Apolda, Apolda, Germany Filed Apr. 12, 1967, Ser. No. 630,291 Int. Cl. D04b 23/08 US. Cl. 66-87 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatus for producing a pile fabric from a pile material layer is described. The pile material is guided by push bars against the needles of a knitting machine. The threads of the bases material are also arranged on the needle, and the operation of the push bars and needle bars cause the transverse yarns of the pile material to become joined with the thread of the base material to form the desired pile fabric.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates generally to a method and a machine for producing a pile fabric from a pile material.

Description of the prior art In a known method of producing pile fabrics, the pile material layer consists of a thread warp. The thread warp is first placed onto a base or carrier material having a corresponding Width, and is then connected with. the carrier material by means such as closing or quilting seams. The quilting seams extend transversely with respect to the pile warp, and are provided with an equal spacing therebetween. In the following step the pile warp is sewn at its points of connection with the carrier material onto relatively strong ropes, which extend parallel to the points of connection and through which cords are subsequently passes which extend parallel to the threads of the pile warp. Finally, the ropes are pushed together on said cords and connected with each other. By pushing the ropes together, the pile warp, together with the carrier material, is formed into short, transverse threads which will form the desired pile loops. A pile fabric poduced according to this method has the advantage that it does not possess a so-called dead pile, that is the threads of the pile warp are seized or tied with substantially no losses. This results in an extensive saving of the relatively costly pile thread material. Furthermore, this process permits the processing of a pile warp, having a colored design by either printing or spraying, which will have clean and precise outlines in its finished condition. This is a result of the fabric pattern not being included in the base material as in the case of woven or knitted pile fabrics, but rather by its being entirely applied on the base material. On the other hand, however, the use of a separate carrier material is disadvantageous, especially since this material will form folds or pleats in the finished material according to the pile. But most important of all, the known method is based essentially on a manual manufacturing process, so that the manufacturing costs of such a pile fabric are relatively high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, there-fore, an objection of the present invention to provide a method and a machine for manufacturing a pile fabric which largely eliminates the above mentioned disadvantages of the known methods.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method and a machine for manufacturing pile material wherein the pile material is provided with a base material which has been manufactured on a knitting machine, particularly a warp knitting machine, wherein both materials are connected with each other while the base material is being manufactured.

These and other objects are achieved by the present invention by bringing the pile material layer with its transverse yarns against the knitting needles of a knitting machine, such as a warp knitting machine and by then connecting the pile material layer wtih the base material in accordance with the formation of the lines of loops of the base material, whereby the spacing between each transverse yarn of the pile material layer is larger than the spacing between the rows of loops of the base material Which tie-in the transverse yarns.

In this manner the process of the present invention is made highly economical, which is reflected in the reduction of the final manufacturing costs of the finished product. Furthermore, the base material, due to the fact that it is manufactured mechanically, possesses a higher degree of uniformity.

The invention may be carried into effect on a knitting machine having either one or two rows of needles. This process is preferably performed on a warp knitting machine. When manufactured on a double needle machine the finished produce would be a so-called cutting or flat pile fabric, and with a machine having a single row of needles, a single looped pile fabric is produced.

An important aspect of the knitting machine, utilized in the carrying out of the method of this invention is a feeding and guiding device for the pile material layer. By means of this feeding device the pile material layer is first seized from the broad side by its transverse threads, and is subsequently brought onto the knitting needles to be joined there with the loops of the base material. Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation showing the yarn configuration of one type of pile material layer;

FIG. 2 is a representation of another possible configuration of a pile material layer;

FIG. 3 is a representation of yet another configuration of a pile material layer;

FIG. 4 is an elevation, partly in section of a portion of a knitting machine in one phase of the yarn processing operation of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a view of the knitting machine of FIG. 4 shown in a second phase of the yarn processing operation of this invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, illustrating the cutting pile fabric produced by the machine of FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is an elevation, partly in section, of a portion of a second form of a knitting machine shown in one phase of the yarn processing operation of this invention,

FIG. 8 is the machine of FIG. 7 in a second phase of the yarn processing operation; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the yarn configuration of the pile fabric prdouced by the machine of. FIGS. 7 and 8.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 13, illustrate various configurations of pile material layers. In each the configuration pile material layer comprises a plurality warp threads l1, an da plurality of intersecting yarns 2, which connect the warp threads 1 to each other. In the form of pile material illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transverse yarns 2 are simple or normal weft yarns which are connected with the warp threads 1, by means of glueing or similar means.

It has been found advantageous to provide at each point of connection a plurality of such transverse yarns 2, for example three of such yarns in an alternating manner, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one yarn being arranged on the one side of the warp threads 1 and the two other ones being arranged on the other side of the warp threads 1. According to the configuration shown in FIG. 3, the transverse yarns 2 are processed so that they form small loop rods which enclose the yarp threads 1 between their needles and sinker loops. The warp threads t1 may either extend continuously, or they may as shown in FIG. 2 be joined by weaving.

The method and machine for processing a pile material layer on a warp knitting machine having two rows of needles is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. By means of this apparatus a cutting or flat pile fabric as shown in FIG. 6 is formed. On each of the two alternately operating needle bars 3 and 4, carrying a plurality of knitting needles 19, a base fabric 5 and 6 is formed in a known manner and which may be linked in any desired form. The two basic fabrics consist of the w'arps of thread warps 7 and 8 which are guided in guide bars 9 and 10. The warp knitting machine, for the manufacture of the pile material layer, is further provided with a feeding or lead-in device which comprises two alternately working comb-like push bars 11 and 12. Push bars 11 and 12 can be lifted and lowered, and can also be moved laterally by any suitable mechanism. On their lower ends, push bars 11 and 12 are provided respectively on both sides with triangular extensions or pegs 15, 16 and 17, 18, which are oppositely directed in an inclined, downward direction. Pegs 15, 16, and 17, r18 extend below the lower edge of push bars 11 and 12.

As illustrated in FIGS, 4 and 5, the needle bar 4 is shown in working position. By a common movement of push bars 11 and 12 toward the right, both push bars initially being arranged at equal level, the pile material layer is brought within the range of the needle bar 4. The pile material layer is now arranged close to push bar 11, which now grips from the side with its right-hand peg between the warp threads 11 of the pile material layer.

In the following phase of the operation, the push bar 11 is lowered to the position shown in FIG. 4, where it seizes, the pile material layer on the respective transverse yarns 2 by means of peg 15. The lower edge of push bar 11 then brings the pile material layer on its transverse yarns 2 against the knitting needles 19 of the needle bar 4. By a movement of the push bars 11, 12 toward the left above the heads of the knitting needles 19 of bar 4, the pile material layer will finally be brought under the influence of push bar 12 which joins the transferred transverse yarns 2 against the head of the knitting needles 19. The knitting needles 419 which, for example, may consist of tongue needles, are in the catching position during this operation. The last row of loops 13 of the base fabrics is thus suspended on the tongues of the knitting needles, 19 and the guide bar 10 is in its rest position.

In a known manner, the needle bar 4 is subsequently brought into its upper end position, whereby the transferred transverse yarns 2 of the pile material layer are prevented from upward movement by means of push bar 12. In this position of the needle bar 4, the guide bar 10 places the thread warp 8 onto bar 4 over the joined transverse yarns 2 of the pile material layer, beneath the tongues of the knitting needles, 19 so that the last row of loops, together with the transverse yarns 2, is now knocked over the new row of loops which was placed by the guide bars 10 around the knitting needles 19. Subsequently, the pile material layer is now transferred to the needles 20 carried by needle bar 3 by means of a further left-ward movement of push bars 11 and 12. The pile fabric shown in FIG. 6, which is produced in this manner, is an intermediate product which yields two pile fabrics by cutting it open between the two basic fabrics 5 and 6.

The spacing between the transverse yarns 2 of the pile material layer must thus correspond to the spacing between the two needle bars 3 and 4.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 wherein elements similar to those of the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, are given corresponding reference numerals, there is shown the processing of a pile material layer on a warp knitting machine having only a single needle bar 4, and a single guide bar .10. On this machine, only one base fabric 6 is produced by means of the single thread warp 8, and the pile material layer is joined continuously with its transverse yarns 2 against the heads of the knitting needles of bar 4. The feeding or lead-in device consists, in this embodiment of two push bars 11 and 14, of which only push bar 11 is provided with triangular pegs 15 and 16 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The push bar 14, in this embodiment, is in the form of a beater plate. This push bar 14 is again given the task of preventing upward movement of the transverse yarns 2 of the pile material layer, which are transferred or joined onto the knitting needles, and of joining the transverse yarns 2 against the head of the knitting needles 19. When the needle bar 4 rises into its upper position, the push bar 14 ensures that the respective transverse yarns 2 of the pile material layer will be safely and surely introduced beneath the tongues of the knitting needles 19. The push bar 114, after having completed its assignment, is then disengaged from the pile material layer in order to seize the pile material layer again during the subsequent cycle of operation of needle bar 4 above the following transverse yarns 2. In this embodiment, the spacing between the transverse yarns 2 of the pile material layer must be greater than the spacing between two rows of loops of the base fabric 6, to enable the warp threads 1 to form the pile loops illustrated in FIG. 9.

In each the knitting machines illustrated above the pile material layer is connected with its associated base fabric only by way of its transverse yarns 2. These transverse yarns 2 are not utilized for the formation of loops, but are only locked in by means of the sinker loops of the base fabric, as can be seen in the yarn configurations shown in FIGS. 6 and 9. The pile material layer is thus practically forming pile through its entity, and the transverse yarns 2 utilized only in the form of stretched or extended weft yarns.

It is also within the scope of the present invention, to process the pile material layer on a sinker-type knitting machine, as well as on a warp knitting machine as descibed above.

The pile material layer need not necessarily be composed ofwarp threads and transverse yarns connecting the warp threads, but may also be in the form of a closed material web, such as, for example, a fiber fleece, which is provided with transverse yarns.

While only specific embodiments of this invention have been illustrated and descibed herein, it is to be understood that these illustrations are given only for purposes of example and not in a limiting sense. The invention is to be limited solely by the scope and spirit of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing a pile warp fabric on a knitting machine having knitting needles, from a pile material having a plurality of spaced transversely extending yarns aflixed to a plurality of longitudinally extending yarns thereof, and a warp knit base material, said method comprising the steps of guiding the transverse yarns of the pile material successively in close proximity to said needles, and connecting the transverse yarns of the pile material with the knit base material during the formation of the loops of the base material on the knitting machine.

2. A method for producing a pile warp fabric on a knitting machine having knitting needles, from a pile material having a plurality of spaced transversely extending yarns aflixcd to a plurality of longitudinally extending yarns thereof, and a warp knit base material, said method comprising the steps of guiding the transverse yarns of the pile material successively in close proximity to said needles, running the respective transverse yarn on said needles during upward movement thereof and while the same carry the preceding row of loops of the base material, placing a new row of warp threads onto said needles, and lowering said needles to thereby knock over the preceding row of loops together with the transverse yarns over the loops of the newly formed row of loops on the needles.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said method is performed on a double needle bar knitting machine, and comprising the step of alternately placing said transverse yarns onto the needles of each of the needle bars of said machine.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein said method is performed on a single bar knitting machine and comprising the step of placing said transverse yarns onto the needles of the single needle bar of said single bar machine.

5. In a knitting machine for producing a warp pile fabric from a pile material having a plurality of spaced transversely extending yarns affixed to a plurality of longitudinally extending yarns thereof, and a warp knit base material, at least one movable needle bar carrying a row of knitting needles, and means for guiding the transverse yarns of the pile material within range of said needle bar, including two bars adapted to 'be lifted and lowered reciprocable in a direction transverse to said row of needles.

6. The combination as recited in claim 5, wherein said push bars are provided at least on those sides thereof which face each other with pegs ending in a tip extending downwardly at an angle from the lower end of said push bar.

7. The combination as recited in claim 6, wherein one of said push bars is in the form of a beater plate, while the other is provided with a peg at least on that side thereof which faces said plate, said peg having a tip extending downwardly from the lower end of said push 'bar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,243,850 6/1941 Amidon 66-84 2,313,725 3/1943 Amidon 66-84 2,461,550 2/1949 Lambach 6684 3,115,023 12/1963 Mosig et al. 6684 RONALD FELDBAUM, Primary Examiner 

